Welcome to the weekly round up of posts that you might have missed. Things are definitely getting festive around here and I hope that you will enjoy the fun.

It has been a busy week at the homestead with the new fence up and awaiting staining once the weather dries out a bit… excellent job by the workmen who stuck it out through wind, hail, pouring rain, up to the knees in mud… brilliant. Now we need to put tons of stones down for drainage all along the bottom covered by more tons of topsoil and new turf.. The last major job before we put the house on the market in the spring.

And.. I launched by new book…just in the nick of time….more details later in the post in the New Books on the Shelves..

As always a huge thank you to regular guests to the blog who have pulled out all the stops to inform and entertain us…and to you for dropping in and leaving comments and sharing the posts.

First a reminder of the Christmas short story series…

Last Sunday I posted a Christmas story from my collection Flights of Fancy – Father Christmas And I also extended an invitation to you, to share a fiction short story with a Christmas theme.

I would like to invite you to share your fiction here in December with one of your stories.

I know how busy everyone is at this time of year, but perhaps you have a short story you have already published on your own blog and would like to share with another audience over here.

I will leave the word count to you but as an approximation I would be happy with stories between 500 and 1,500 words…if longer then I am sure it will not be a problem.

If you are an author I will also be delighted to share the link to buy your work on Amazon.

Some of you are already in the Cafe and Bookstore and I have all your details, so no need to include again, but if you are new to the blog then I will need some information.

If you are already in the Cafe and Bookstore then please send the following to sally.cronin@moyhill.com:

The link to your short story if already on your blog

Or, your word document of your story.

If you are new to smorgasbord the please send the following to sally.cronin@moyhill.com:

For any of us in the colder and wetter climates, a respite somewhere sunny is top of of most of our wish lists. Today three wonderful destinations where you will enjoy warm weather and an even warmer welcome from your hosts. I have selected islands where you can relax and even if it is for just two weeks, boost your tan and well-being before the real winter kicks in.

It is that time of year when we bring out the decorations and over here – The Cook from Scratch Christmas recipes... I look at the health benefits of the food.. and my friend Carol Taylor turns them into something delicious the whole family will love. This week the wonderful Brussel Sprouts.

If you are looking for a different kind of Christmas cookie this year then these Cantucci Biscotti from Silvia Todesco look amazing… and if memory serves me right, dipping them in your coffee or hot chocolate adds to their deliciousness…

Delighted that Anne R. Allenaccepted my invitation to be a guest during the run up to Christmas. As writers, we don’t always get the feedback we expect from family and friends, and Anne shares some of the ways it might sabotage our efforts.

About Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life.

My name is Sally Cronin and I am doing what I love.. Writing. Books, short stories, Haiku and blog posts. My previous jobs are only relevant in as much as they have gifted me with a wonderful filing cabinet of memories and experiences which are very useful when putting pen to paper. I move between non-fiction health books and posts and fairy stories, romance and humour. I love variety which is why I called my blog Smorgasbord Invitation and you will find a wide range of subjects. You can find the whole story here.
Find out more at https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/about-me/

Oh, I think that’s what our grand-dog Ginger needs! Lab, not yet a year old, never gets tired. Last summer anytime I was dragging the wading pool out for the grands, she would jump in (it was empty) and ride until I put it down in place. Then she would go crazy racing through the hose, pool, and backyard. Took out a few small children…LOL. Dogs are awesome!

ball oh yes.. still have some favourites we have hung on to for the last 11 years since we lost Sam.. He would be too big now and whatever dog we get will need to be waterproof with all the rain we have.. probably don’t need a pond…xxx

Another jam-packed exciting week, Sally pleased your fence is now in place…I agree about the size of the dog although saying that our neighbour has a new smallish dog who loves Saangchai as much as he loves her and when the two of them get together it is like a whirlwind passing through nothing is safe everything goes flying …haha…I am now poping over to read the posts I missed..i.e.Debby’s being one of them…Pressed this for later …Hugs xxx

Many thanks Sally, I am sure it will, and yours too. I had a lovely surprise, my piece in the Writing Magazine issue for Jan 2020 is in W H Smiths, sooner than I expected so that has cheered me no end. Have a fab weekend. xx

Reblogged this on Jane Risdon and commented:
You should check out Sally’s fab blog. Grab a beverage of choice, snuggle up in a cosy chair and enjoy all she has to offer…it is a fab way to spend some quiet time.